Barrus appoints commercial manager for marine division

Barrus, a UK-based importer and distributor of marine equipment, has appointed Lee Allen as commercial manager for its marine division, with responsibility across its marine leisure, marine diesel and equipment portfolios.

Allen joined Barrus in late 2023 as an area sales manager. He previously spent eight years with British boatbuilder Cobra Ribs as production manager.

In his new role, Allen will oversee commercial strategy across the division, including product positioning, pricing and competitiveness. The position also includes managing relationships with marine manufacturers including Mercury Marine, MerCruiser and Yanmar.

Allen says: “Moving into the position of commercial manager is a natural progression for me within the marine division. It brings together my background in production, operations and sales, while allowing me to take a broader view of how Barrus positions its products and partnerships within a competitive and evolving market.

“The marine landscape is moving towards increasingly connected and integrated systems. With the digital capabilities offered by Mercury Marine and MerCruiser, alongside the proven reliability of Yanmar, Barrus is well placed to position itself as a provider of complete marine system solutions rather than simply individual components.”

Over the next 12 months, the firm says that Allen’s priorities will include supporting commercial performance across the marine portfolios, assisting sales teams with product knowledge and tools, and increasing the company’s visibility through industry engagement and events as well as digital channels.

Barrus operates across the marine, garden, industrial and vehicle sectors. Founded in 1917, it distributes engines, engine-powered equipment and related products in the UK through a network of more than 3,000 authorised dealers.